Part 3 (1/2)
”Go and see Jakob so you can rea.s.sure him you're okay,” Rosie said with a flip of her blond hair. Steve looked angry at her decision, and she continued. ”This is for the best. This way Jakob will think she still trusts him. This way we can get him where we want him.”
”So what do I do?”
”The Masquerade Ball is on Sat.u.r.day,” Rosie said, and looked at me with a small smile. ”You both need to come.”
”The Bradley Ball?” I frowned. I'd been there once before, and I didn't know that I really wanted to go back again.
”Yes.” She nodded. ”It's the perfect place for us to have some anonymity while still in a public place.”
”And I'll meet whoever it is you want us to meet.”
”Yes.” She nodded with a small smile. ”You'll meet whoever it is we want you to meet.”
”You're not going to tell me?”
”Don't you like surprises?”
”Will I be surprised?”
”Well, I'm sure Jakob will be surprised, even if you're not.”
”Why?”
”Because in life there is death and in death there is life,” Rosie said, and turned to Steve. ”Let's go.”
”Go?” It was Steve's turn to look surprised. ”I thought we were going to take Bianca with us.”
”Now isn't a good time.” Rosie shook her head. ”This is better for us.”
”But he said to bring her to him.” Steve looked worried.
”This is better for us, Steve.” She reached over and touched his arm. ”We'll all get our revenge on the Bradleys.” She looked at me. ”We'll avenge all the wrongs that have been done to all of us. He's not going to dictate what we do, Steve. He couldn't have done any of this without you. He needs you. And when it's time, we'll bring him down as well.”
”But . . .” Steve's eyes were wide, and he looked at me.
”What does it matter if she knows?” Rosie shrugged. ”She'll know soon enough. She's a part of it as well. She can help avenge her mother. It will be poetic justice. All of the Bradleys destroyed.” She laughed and threw her head back. ”And then we can claim what is ours. You can claim what is yours. You can finally have everything your father worked so hard for. You should have been running that company. You were Jeremiah's b.i.t.c.h boy. His slave. Now it's your turn, Steve. It's your turn to make him your b.i.t.c.h.”
My heart thudded as they stared at each other. They had an odd connection. Rosie seemed to be able to reach a part of Steve that I certainly hadn't while on the island. Even though they were letting me go, I felt uneasy. Really uneasy. I didn't know what they were talking about. Who was the big ”he” that they were referring to? Who did they want me to meet? Who else was a part of this?
”Be at the ball on Sat.u.r.day.” Rosie turned to me. ”You and Jakob.”
”I'll be there.” I nodded, and as surrept.i.tiously as they had entered, they left. I stood there feeling faint and clutched my phone to me for a few seconds before it began ringing again. I was about to answer and tell Jakob what had just happened, but it was Blake calling me. ”h.e.l.lo?” I said, my voice weak.
”Bianca,” he said hurriedly. ”We need to talk.”
”Okay,” I said, and swallowed hard. My legs were trembling, and my whole body was shaking in some sort of post-traumatic shock. ”What's going on?”
”I found some new files. It's funny what databases you can link to at the library.” He sounded excited. ”The world is literally at your fingertips. So much access to so many different things-”
”Blake.”
”Sorry, you know how excited I get,” he said, and his voice dropped. ”Can you meet me at a cafe in five minutes? I don't want to tell you anything over the phone.”
”Um, depends. What cafe?” I said, wondering what had him so excited. ”What's going on, Blake? You're freaking me out.”
”Did you know that there is no death certificate for Jeremiah Bradley?” His voice was a whisper, which almost made me laugh because if our phones were being tapped, his dropping his voice wasn't going to make it so they couldn't hear. I was pretty sure that if I could understand what he was saying, anyone tapping our phones could also understand.
”Okay?” I said, wondering what the big deal was. And then my head started thudding as I thought back to what Steve and Rosie had just been saying. It wasn't possible, was it? ”Where do you want to meet?”
”Text me when you get to a coffee shop,” he said. ”I'll meet you wherever you go.”
”Okay.” My voice dropped now, and I whispered, ”You're not saying what I think you're saying, are you?”
”I don't know what you think I'm saying, but if you're also thinking that there's a new Maestro Geppetto in town, then yes.” He cleared his throat. ”Well, not new. I think this puppeteer has been here all along.”
five.
Nicholas London Decades Ago ”I'm worried about Oliver, Nick.” Angelina's brow furrowed as I walked toward her in the small kitchen. I stared at the concern on her face, and my stomach twisted. ”I think you need to reach out to him. I don't think his friends.h.i.+p with Jeremiah is good for him.”
”Why?” I tried not to express my annoyance. I didn't want to talk about Oliver or any of my friends, least of all Jeremiah.
”I just don't think Jeremiah is a great friend to him.” She picked up a loaf of French bread and offered it to me. ”Do you want some bread and b.u.t.ter?”
”I wouldn't say no.” I smiled. ”Do you have any cheese as well?”
”I have some Brie.” She nodded and smiled. ”Sit and I'll cut it.”
”You spoil me.” I sat down willingly and waited for my pre-dinner snack. Angelina and I had been dating for just over six months now and we'd already gotten into a comfortable routine. She took care of me well.
”I do, but you spoil me too.” She started humming. ”I can't believe we're going to go see a show in New York City.”
”I can't believe you've never seen a show in the city before. We're not that far away.”
”But I moved here from Florida.” She laughed. ”I haven't had an opportunity to go to the city before. I was going to go see Les Miz with my roommates, but then Jeremiah wanted to take me. . . .” Her voice trailed off. ”Sorry.”
”There's no need to be sorry.” I shrugged, but a pang of guilt hit me. My friends.h.i.+p with Jeremiah was definitely different now. The whole dynamic in our group had completely changed. Jeremiah and Larry were always together and did things without inviting me. Which wasn't altogether irregular, as they had known each other for a long time. However, they were also including Oliver, which was weird. It was obviously an unsubtle hint that I was no longer in the inner circle, and while that hurt, I didn't know what to do. I had broken the brotherly code. I had taken Jeremiah's girl. Though we both knew that she wasn't really his girl.
”I know, but I still feel bad.” Angelina sighed. ”I don't trust Jeremiah. I still suspect he has some sort of ulterior motive. He's not really a good guy. He just plays his role really well.”
”I think he's fine,” I said, not really sure if I meant my words. Jeremiah hadn't made me an outcast exactly, but he had made comments, almost threats, that had me wondering what he was really thinking. I hadn't told Angelina about any of that, of course. I hadn't wanted to upset her. And I didn't want her to start feeling guilty and leave me. All I cared about besides my schoolwork was being with her. She was my life. I couldn't imagine losing her. I knew I was being dramatic, far more dramatic than I'd ever thought I could be, but I suppose love and relations.h.i.+ps can twist anyone's mind. We're all capable of losing it over someone we love.
”His parents are powerful.” She bit her lower lip. ”And Larry . . .” She made a face. Angelina couldn't stand Larry. ”I trust him even less than I trust Jeremiah. He just seems like an opportunist, and I think he might even be a psychopath.”
”Psychopath?”
”Or sociopath?” She shrugged her shoulders. ”What's the name for people that can harm others and feel nothing bad about it?”